exploring clay, paint, silver and linen

Linen

playing with japanese shibori and indigo dye on linen, calico and natural cottons, experimenting with abstract patterns formed…mmmm addictive!!made a new batch of indigo this week…delicious to sink new linen into the stinky vat!!! have been hand painting on linen over the last few years but for the last 3 years have been experimenting with indigo dye and shibori, japanese methods of folding and blocking or binding patterns in fabric before going to the dye. mostly, fabric printing ink is used to draw and paint on 100% linen…motifs based on fish, seed pods and shells. pieces are used to stretch over canvas, worked into new shapes and ‘stuffed’, make themselves useful as table linen, or kitchen goddesses …… even have been known to flaunt themselves over windows and doors! and last week some anchovies raced across muslin for summer scarves!the many traditions of the use of blue or indigo dyeing in various cultures, especially inJapan, is the impetus for my playing with textiles.